Probs best indication is whether you love The Queen or not.

LivDiv wrote:

Not really.
I wish Liz no harm but I'm no Royalist. I think she has suddenly become more important than ever despite her limited powers, age and peado son.
I quite like Harry, Will and their spouses, I feel we may need them in the near future.

Always better to base opinions and beliefs on reality rather than generalised institutions.

Andrew is alleged to have had sex with a 17 yo. Not a pedo therefore. Dirtbag, allegedly.

The Royals need a bit of a refresh. I'm no royalist but I like the fact thay they exist.

Elizabeth has been a class act but she's knackered. She should shuffle off into retirement. They need to change the coronation vow to allow that to happen in the future.

Let Charles do what he has spent a lifetime preparing for. Many may have to hold their nose to suffer Camilla for that. I couldn't care less about that. She has played a low profile card well. A decade or so and get William and Catherine in who seem to be up for it.

Harry can then freewheel and run the Invicta games while his wife can slowly fade from public scrutiny. Royals who are not in direct line need to be given more slack which may prevent arseholery on the future.

It needs to be pruned. Too much dead wood on that balcony.

Just out of curiosity Davy, what do you like about them? What makes them different than any other rich family?

Don't mean to sound argumentative (i realise, I kinda do) but I find it hard to understand the appeal.

RedDave2 wrote:

Just out of curiosity Davy, what do you like about them? What makes them different than any other rich family? Don't mean to sound argumentative (i realise, I kinda do) but I find it hard to understand the appeal.

Don't like them as individuals. I like the idea of having a Queen/King with a role for pomp and ceremony etc. Their wealth comes with duty which separates them from the rest.

The royal bursary is a few million each year which is a drop in the ocean of the screwed up projects such as the new rail line etc.  The Brexit chaos has brought the powers the Queen has but never exercises to the point of a national incident. If they could be totally uncoupled from the legislature I'd be happier.

I think I like the sense of history they bring. There's nothing like the royals in todays world - and the general supporting machinery for creating events. It's unique in the world today and by my reckoning is worth holding onto. I'd never be one of the forlock tugging lovers with which I've no empathy mind.

It's not just a few million though, it's everything else, like the private security for weddings etc. That land is ours, their estate etc, it belongs to us. I'd get rid of them.

I'm down with Doug

It's a line from pre-Obama days though. I dunno. I'm not siding either way, I just think about that line a bit every so often.

It makes no real difference to be honest. The only hope you can have is that in such a system the voters will see the point of the system and vote contrarianly such that all power has a brake on it. But we see in America the fight only has to be lost once and all the rules are deformed and wrenched out of shape (but not broken).

LivDiv wrote:

"Get Regicide Done"

nick_md wrote:

It's not just a few million though, it's everything else, like the private security for weddings etc. That land is ours, their estate etc, it belongs to us. I'd get rid of them.

I can remember some facts & figures about total bills and yes it's high but it's very little compared to what governments squander with nothing in return. They will at least indirectly generate some income via tourism etc. They are a net cost of course but having a royal family does set us apart.

And yes - they own land - but what would we do with it?  They are stewards of that land and ultimately they look after it for "us". It would end up in private ownership - no doubt some faceless billionaire crony of whoever is in influence at the time if it was to be surrendered or taken . I think the royals should be funding more things themselves - I believe they get money for refurbs etc. sometimes - that should be reviewed.  But they are more frugal than many believe. Visitors to Balmoral have reported being surprised by how basic the living standards are there for example.

Getting rid of them would literally be selling off the crown jewels. The family silver as it where. A one time, one way action that would deliver very little of benefit to the general public.

davyK wrote:

nick_md wrote:

It's not just a few million though, it's everything else, like the private security for weddings etc. That land is ours, their estate etc, it belongs to us. I'd get rid of them.

I can remember some facts & figures about total bills and yes it's high but it's very little compared to what governments squander with nothing in return. They will at least indirectly generate some income via tourism etc. They are a net cost of course but having a royal family does set us apart. And yes - they own land - but what would we do with it?  They are stewards of that land and ultimately they look after it for "us". It would end up in private ownership - no doubt some faceless billionaire crony of whoever is in influence at the time if it was to be surrendered or taken . I think the royals should be funding more things themselves - I believe they get money for refurbs etc. sometimes - that should be reviewed.  But they are more frugal than many believe. Visitors to Balmoral have reported being surprised by how basic the living standards are there for example. Getting rid of them would literally be selling off the crown jewels. The family silver as it where. A one time, one way action that would deliver very little of benefit to the general public.

I enjoyed Shaun's video on this subject, interesting points re. the cost of the royals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiE2DLqJB8U

Anyone supporting the queen here is a fucking tory.

I am not a fan BUT I can see the benefits of having an apolitical (yeah not really but what is?) empty vessel stood around doing meet and greets. It seems better than the alternative. Farage would have stood four or five times for election as King now. And fuck knows may have even won.